Pan's Labyrinth

If all "fairy tales for adults" fall akin to the gruesome torture scenes of Pan's Labyrinth, I think I'll leave fairy tales to the kids from now on. Regardless of whether or not it's a monster or a man biting the heads off of Tinker Bell's fairy cousins, the fact remains that such scenes are still gory. Don't misunderstand me, I like gore when placed in the proper context. The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre and even contemporary films like Final Destination all use gore to its advantage and in the proper sub-text ? as horror films. Gore could also be used in realistic scenes of war, like those in Saving Private Ryan or Apocalypse Now.

But when one views a trailer full of fantastical creatures, pixie dust and a wide-eyed young girl, without even a hint or notion of the violence and gore found within, the surprise can be too much for viewers to handle. At least for this reviewer it was. Had I been properly forewarned of the torture scenes, which include a woman slicing a man's cheek open, and the unfortunate chomping of fairy heads that I mentioned above, I could have found the proper frame of mind and probably enjoyed the film. Unfortunately, the shock was just too much, and I was more taken aback by the violence than magically drawn into director Guillermo Del Toro's world.

Pan can be viewed as several entities depending upon which history book one consults. But the certain thing is that Pan is generally seen as a "herdsman" with the torso of a man and legs of a goat. And, in our story, he is the gatekeeper to a fantastic world in which the world's princess is lost. She is reborn in Ofelia, a Spanish girl with a penchant for fantasy. Ofelia gets caught up in the midst of the 1941 Spanish Civil War, and is forced to move from the city to a small, backwoods military bunker to live with her father, the evil leader of the Spanish forces occupying the fort.

From the moment the car carrying Ofelia and her mother departs for the bunker, the world splits in two: the real life struggle of the military forces against a rebel army holed up in the neighboring mountaintop, and the fantasy world in which Ofelia is princess, and must prove her worth to "Pan" to reclaim her throne.

Depending solely on perspective, one could suggest that the fantasy world is merely a figment of Ofelia's imagination, designed as an escape from the horrors of her dictatorial father. Or, the child in all of us (or the paltry remnants of the child in all of us) could positively assume that Pan's Labyrinth is real; Ofelia really is a princess and really will reclaim her rightful throne, a world beyond the tragedy and horrors of war. The choice is left up to the viewer, even to the very last, almost definitive scene.

Del Toro does an exquisite job at blending imagery with realism, as do the artists and designers responsible for bringing Pan's world to life. The sequences are seamless, including one remarkable scene where Ofelia literally draws a doorway into the hall of a child-eating monster, complete with a tempting feast full of sweets and delicacies. The art design, cinematography and other special effects related work are phenomenal, and expect Pan to win all the Oscars it is nominated for in those related categories. I would be so bold as to say, had Del Toro been nominated for the directing award, he'd walk away with that one too. He certainly deserves it.

I'm still conflicted with certain aspects of Pan's Labyrinth, mainly the fact that the trailer and subsequent praise I ingested did not fully portray the mood or theme of the film. Had I been fully aware of the dark overtones and serious nature, I probably would be praising the film unconditionally like most other critics. Regardless, I still give the film all the praise in the world. It is a work of art. But I offer one piece of advice as well. Next time, hire a different trailer cutter.